Mapping politics and pedagogy: understanding the population and practices of Chinese complementary schools in England

Remarkably, little academic attention has been given to the phenomenon of Chinese language schools in the UK. This paper aims to address this important gap in knowledge through the development of a detailed mapping of the population and practise of Chinese complementary schooling in England. The paper draws on ethnographically informed observations and interviews with 60 pupils, 21 teachers and 24 parents conducted in six Chinese schools as part of an Economic and Social Research Council (UK) funded study. The mapping is presented in terms of three core questions: what are Chinese schools like? (how they are funded, resourced and organised); who attends? (characteristics of the pupils’ population); and what is taught there? Analyses highlight the social political implications arising and raise issues for education policy and practice.